Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on October 29, 2021 launched the nationwide expansion of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) .
- For the first time in the country that PCV will be available for universal use. He added that Pneumonia is a leading cause of death among children under-5 years old, globally and in India.
- In India around 16 percent of deaths in Children occur due to pneumonia.
- Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is one of the largest public health programmes targeting close to 26.7 million newborns and 29 million pregnant women annually.
- Under UIP, immunization is being provided free of cost against 12 vaccine preventable diseases:
- Nationally against 10 diseases – Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Rotavirus diarrhea, Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Haemophilus Influenzae type B
- Sub-nationally against 2 diseases – Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis; of which Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine is nationally expanded today, while JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts.
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